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Subject: Conservation & Mitigation

1. Conservation Progs.
2. Worldwide initiatives
3. Mitigation Strategies
4. Conventions and Protocols

  • Species in news: Raksasa Cockroach

    A team of researchers has discovered a supergiant cockroach when they explored waters of the Indian Ocean in Bantan, off the southern coast of West Java in Indonesia.

    Try this MCQ:

    Q.The ‘Bathynomus Raksasa’, a species recently discovered is basically a:

    a) Mollusc

    b) Annelid

    c) Arthropod

    d) Flagella

    Bathynomus Raksasa

    • The Bathynomus raksasa is a giant isopod (phylum: Arthropoda) in the genus Bathynomus.
    • It is described as the “cockroach of the sea”. The epithet is the Indonesian word “raksasa” for giant, alluding to its enormous size.
    • The giant isopods are distantly related to crabs, lobsters, and shrimps (which belong to the order of decapods), and are found in the cold depths of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.
    • It has 14 legs but uses these only to crawl along the bed of oceans in search of food.
    • As a scavenger, Bathynomus raksasa eats the remains of dead marine animals, such as whales and fish, but can also go for long periods without food, a trait that it shares with the cockroach.

    Why this cockroach matters?

    • Bathynomus raksasa is the sixth ‘supergiant’ species from the Indo-West Pacific and is one of the largest known members of the genus.
    • The discovery takes the number of known giant isopods to 20.
    • As the Bathynomus raksasa reveals its secrets, it will contribute towards increasing knowledge about the deep.

  • Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve

    As a fresh wave of floods ravages Assam, killing, 85 per cent of the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) remains submerged.

    Try this question from CSP 2019:

    Q.Consider the following statements:

    1. Asiatic lion is naturally found in India only.
    2. Double-humped camel is naturally found in India only.
    3. One-horned rhinoceros is naturally found in India only.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) 1 and 3 only

    (d) 1, 2 and 3

    Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve

    • The KNTPR is a national park in the Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam.
    • The sanctuary, which hosts two-thirds of the world’s great one-horned rhinoceroses, is a World Heritage Site.
    • Kaziranga is home to the highest density of tigers among protected areas in the world and was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006 (now the highest tiger density is in Orang National Park, Assam).
    • The park is home to large breeding populations of elephants, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer.
    • It is also recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for the conservation of avifaunal species.

    Significance of floods in Kaziranga’s ecosystem

    • The entire area of Kaziranga — formed by alluvial deposits from the Brahmaputra and its tributaries — is centred on the river.
    • There is a consensus that floods are necessary for Kaziranga by virtue of it being riverine ecosystem.
    • The regenerative nature of floods helps replenish Kaziranga’s water bodies and maintain its landscape, a mix of wetlands, grasslands and semi-evergreen deciduous forests.
    • The floodwaters also function as a breeding ground for fish.
    • The same fish are carried away by the receding waters into the Brahmaputra — in a way, the park replenishes the river’s stock of fish too.
    • The waters also help get rid of unwanted plants such as water hyacinth which collect in huge masses in the landscape.

  • [pib] Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ)

    The Environment Ministry has approved the Zonal Master Plan (ZMP) for the Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone.

    Note the following things with respect to the ESZs:

    1) Its demarcation

    2) Law/Regulation providing it

    3) Boundary restrictions

    Bhagirathi ESZ

    It covers a watershed of about  100 kilometres stretch of the river  Bhagirathi from Gaumukh to Uttarakashi covering an area of  4179.59 square km.

    What are the Eco-sensitive Zones (ESZs)?

    • Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) or Ecologically Fragile Areas (EFAs) are areas notified by the MoEFCC around Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
    • The purpose of declaring ESZs is to create some kind of “shock absorbers” to the protected areas by regulating and managing the activities around such areas.
    • They also act as a transition zone from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection.

    How are they demarcated?

    • The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 does not mention the word “Eco-Sensitive Zones”.
    • However, Section 3(2)(v) of the Act, says that Central Government can restrict areas in which any industries, operations or processes or class of industries, operations or processes shall be carried out or shall not, subject to certain safeguards.
    • Besides Rule 5(1) of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 states that central government can prohibit or restrict the location of industries and carrying on certain operations or processes on the basis of certain considerations.
    • The same criteria have been used by the government to declare No Development Zones (NDZs).

    Defining its boundaries

    • An ESZ could go up to 10 kilometres around a protected area as provided in the Wildlife Conservation Strategy, 2002.
    • Moreover, in the case where sensitive corridors, connectivity and ecologically important patches, crucial for landscape linkage, are beyond 10 km width, these should be included in the ESZs.
    • Further, even in the context of a particular Protected Area, the distribution of an area of ESZ and the extent of regulation may not be uniform all around and it could be of variable width and extent.

  • Species in news: Pied Cuckoo

    A new project by a number of agencies is using advancements in nanotechnology to study migratory patterns of the Pied Cuckoo.

    This specie carries an unusual importance compared to other IUCN species. Go through this newscard to read more about it.

    Pied Cuckoo

    • There are basically three subspecies of the Pied Cuckoo of which one is resident in Africa while another is resident in South.
    • The third is a migrant moving between India and Africa.
    • The Pied Cuckoo is famous in North Indian folklore as ‘chatak’, a bird that quenches its thirst only with raindrops.
    • From Southern Africa, it comes to the Himalayan foothills stretching from Jammu to Assam to breed every year. The birds come to the same localities every year.
    • It is also a brood parasite in that it does not make its own nest and instead lays its egg in the nest of other birds, particularly the Jungle Babbler.

    About the Study

    • The project is a joint effort by the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun and the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), which comes under the Indian Space Research Organisation or ISRO.
    • The Pied Cuckoo migration study is part of a larger project — Indian Bioresource Information portal (IBIN) funded by the Department of Biotechnology under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology.
    • It aims to deliver relevant bioresources (plant, animal and other biological organisms) information of India through a web portal.
    • The project aims to assess the likely impacts of projected climate change on the potential distribution of Pied Cuckoo in the altered climate change scenarios.

    Why study Pied Cuckoo?

    • It is closely linked with the arrival of the south-west monsoon in India.
    • It moves to India during the summer.
    • Being a small, terrestrial bird, a sea crossing holds a lot of risk for this cuckoo.
    • Before it migrates back to its home in the southern African region, by flying over the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean, it must be stopping somewhere.
    • It is these stopovers that researchers want to find out about.

  • Mapping: Melghat Tiger Reserve

    Maharashtra CM has sought alternative routes for the proposed broad gauge conversion of a railway line passing through the Melghat Tiger Reserve in Amravati district.

    Try this question from CSP 2012:

    Consider the following protected areas:

    1. Bandipur 2. Bhitarkanika 3. Manas 4. Sunderbans

    Which of the above are declared Tiger Reserves?

    (a) 1 and 2 only

    (b) 1, 3 and 4 only

    (c) 2, 3 and 4 only

    (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

    Melghat Tiger Reserve

    • Melghat, part of the Satpura-Maikal landscape was among the first nine tiger reserves notified in 1973-74 under the Project Tiger.
    • The Tapti River and the Gawilgadh ridge of the Satpura Range form the boundary of the reserve.
    • The forest is tropical dry deciduous in nature, dominated by teak.
    • The reserve is a catchment area for five major rivers: the Khandu, Khapra, Sipna, Gadga and Dolar. These all rivers are tributaries of the river Tapti.

    Back2Basics: Project Tiger

    • Project Tiger is a tiger conservation programme launched in April 1973 during PM Indira Gandhi’s tenure.
    • In 1970 India had only 1800 tigers and Project Tiger was launched in Jim Corbett National Park.
    • The project is administrated by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
    • It aims at ensuring a viable population of Bengal tigers in their natural habitats, protecting them from extinction etc.
    • Under this project the govt. has set up a Tiger Protection Force to combat poachers and funded relocation of villagers to minimize human-tiger conflicts.

  • Dehing Patkai WLS to be upgraded into National Park

    The Assam government has decided to upgrade Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary into a National Park.

    Try this question from CSP 2019:

    Which one of the following National Parks lies completely in the temperate alpine zone?

    (a) Manas National Park

    (b) Namdapha National Park

    (c) Neora Valley National Park

    (d) Valley of Flowers National Park

    Dehing Patkai WLS

    • Dehing Patkai WLS is located in the Dibrugarh and Tinsukia Districts of Assam and covers an area of 111.19 sq. km rainforest.
    • It is located in the Dehing Patkai landscape which is a dipterocarp-dominated lowland rainforest.
    • It spreads across the coal- and oil-rich districts of Upper Assam (Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Sivasagar) and is believed to be the last remaining contiguous patch of lowland rainforest area in Assam.
    • The WLS due to their importance for elephant habitat was declared as Dehing-Patkai Elephant Reserve under Project Elephant.
    • Post upgradation, Dehing Patkai will be the sixth national park in Assam — the other five being Kaziranga, Nameri, Manas, Orang and Dibru-Saikhowa.

    Back2Basics:

    [Prelims Spotlight] National Parks, Biosphere Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries in India – Part 2

  • [pib] India’s Tiger Census sets a New Guinness Record

    The fourth cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation 2018, results of which were declared to the nation on Global Tiger Day last year has entered the Guinness World Record for being the world’s largest camera trap wildlife survey.

    Before reading this newscard, try these PYQs:

    Q. The term ‘M-STrIPES’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of: (CSP 2017)

    (a) Captive breeding of Wild Fauna

    (b) Maintenance of Tiger Reserves

    (c) Indigenous Satellite Navigation System

    (d) Security of National Highways

    Q.Consider the following protected areas: (CSP 2012)

    1. Bandipur
    2. Bhitarkanika
    3. Manas
    4. Sunderbans

    Which of the above are declared Tiger Reserves?

    (a) 1 and 2 only

    (b) 1, 3 and 4 only

    (c) 2, 3 and 4 only

    (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

    About All India Tiger Estimation

    • The tiger count is prepared after every four years by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) provides details on the number of tigers in the 18 tiger reign states with 50 tiger reserves.
    • However, this time, the census also included data collected from the rough terrains of north-eastern states which were not possible due to logistic constraints before.
    • The entire exercise spanned over four years is considered to be the world’s largest wildlife survey effort in terms of coverage and intensity of sampling.
    • Over 15, 000 cameras were installed at various strategic points to capture the movement of tigers. This was supported by extensive data collected by field personnel and satellite mapping.

    Highlights of the 2018 estimation

    • India has 2,967 tigers, a third more than in 2014, according to results of a tiger census.
    • India has achieved the target of doubling tiger population four years before the 2022 deadline.
    • According to the census, Madhya Pradesh saw the highest number of tigers at 526, closely followed by Karnataka at 524 and Uttarakhand at number 3 with 442 tigers.
    • While Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest number of tigers, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu registered the “maximum improvement” since 2014.
    • Chhattisgarh and Mizoram saw a decline in their tiger numbers while tiger numbers in Odisha remained constant. All other states witnessed a positive trend.

    Back2Basics: Project Tiger

    • Project Tiger is a tiger conservation programme launched in April 1973 during PM Indira Gandhi’s tenure.
    • In 1970 India had only 1800 tigers and Project Tiger was launched in Jim Corbett National Park.
    • The project is administrated by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
    • It aims at ensuring a viable population of Bengal tigers in their natural habitats, protecting them from extinction etc.
    • Under this project the govt. has set up a Tiger Protection Force to combat poachers and funded relocation of villagers to minimize human-tiger conflicts.

  • What India should do to get its energy transition right

    The article analyses the problems renewable energy faces in India and suggests the pathways to overcome these challenges.

    India’s commitments and goals

    • India has committed in the 2015 Paris Agreement to reduce GHG emissions intensity by 33-35% below 2005 levels.
    • It also committed to achieve 40% of installed electric power capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030.
    • At the UN General Assembly in 2019, we announced a target of 450 GW of renewable energy (RE) by 2030.

    Let’s look into CEA study

    • The optimal electricity mix study of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), estimated 430 GW non-hydro renewables (280 GW solar + 140 GW wind + 10 GW bio) by 2030.
    • Study put thermal capacity at 266 GW by 2030.
    • So, it puts the percentage of non-fossil fuel (RE + hydro + nuclear) in installed capacity by 2030 at 64%.
    • Which is much higher than India’s Paris commitment.

    Coal contradiction

    • The target for coal production at 1.5 billion tonnes, which was set in 2015, has been reinforced recently to be achieved by 2024.
    • Privatisation of coal mining and recent auctions have given a meaningful thrust to this.
    • Looked at the target set for renewable energy, targets for cola production convey contradictory signals.
    • The targeted coal production of 1.5 billion tonnes, even by 2030, would mean thermal generation capacity could double over the current 223 GW.
    • In that case, even with targeted RE capacity, we will not achieve our emissions intensity Paris commitment.
    • Can a global green champion announce doubling its coal production in five years?

    Problems with Renewables

    1. Policy Issues

    • Solar deployment has seen policy challenges both from Centre and states, these include-
    • Continuous changes in duty structure.
    • Renegotiation of PPAs.
    • Curtailment of solar power.
    • Extremely delayed payments in some states.
    • Policy flip-flops on open access and net metering.
    • Delays by state agencies and regulators.
    • Land possession difficulties.
    • Transmission roadblocks even in solar parks.

    2. Solar cell manufacturing constraints

    • Our capacity for cell manufacture is 3 GW, though workable capacity is actually around 2 GW.
    • Domestically manufactured cells are more expensive and less efficient.
    • There is little upgrade in a rapidly changing world of technology.
    •  90% of cells and 80% modules are imported largely from China or Chinese companies elsewhere.
    • Wafer imports are 100% as we don’t manufacture ingots/wafers.
    • For every GW with an average cost of Rs 5,000 crore in 2019, more than half goes to China.

    3. Storage constraints

    •  Hydro pump storage is limited in quantity and there will be an issue of costs.
    • The other project is a solar-wind hybrid with batteries installed after a few years.
    • Neither intends to meet peak power demand or even the baseload.
    • Forecasts suggest lowering of battery costs by 50% by 2030.
    • It makes sense to wait before we go for large-scale storage.

    Manufacturing domestically

    • 1) At the least plan to make 5 GW of ingot/wafer manufacturing capacity urgently.
    • We may require electricity supply at about Rs 3 per unit, and dedicated power plants.
    • The risk of technology obsolescence would need to be factored in.
    • Policy, fiscal and financial support prescriptions should aim at creating globally competitive industry.
    • 2) We need to develop batteries suitable for extreme Indian weather conditions but globally benchmarked.
    • This demands a mission approach, getting our best people and institutions together, properly funded and tasked to get a battery out in the next three years.
    • 3) We must also simultaneously launch a hydrogen mission—target heavy vehicle mobility through fuel cells.
    • It may become a solution for RE storage, too.

    The issue of supply-demand mismatch

    • In the last two decades, we have been overestimating demand and increasing supply.
    • Our demand projections for 2030 are wildly high.
    • PLF in 2018-19 was 60.30, declining to 56.08 in 2019-20 and hovering around 50% with the Covid-19 impact.
    • Even the latest CEA review of ‘optimal’ mix talks of thermal PLF of 59% in 2030!
    • This is inefficient and costly.
    • Thermal PLF must be taken to over 80%.

    The suggested pathways

    • 1. Build thermal capacity as per CEA estimates and quickly. None after 2030. Retire inefficient plants. Plan for miner rehabilitation.
    • 2. Accelerate RE after 2030 with storage. Aim for 10 GW solar and 5 GW wind annually.
    • 3. Develop 5-10 GW ingot/wafer manufacturing capacity urgently and diversify import sources even at some extra cost.
    • 4. Develop a battery for Indian conditions in three years; full battery manufacturing in India in five years.
    • 5. Revisit the manner of solar generation. Prioritise decentralised and solar agriculture.
    • 6. Plan for hydrogen economy with pilot projects and dedicated highways for long and heavy haul traffic.
    • 7. Put a strong energy demand management system into place with much stronger energy efficiency and the conservation movement.

    Consider the question “Central Electricity Authority finalised the optimal electricity mix study recently setting the targets for the future. Examine the constraints that expansion of solar energy faces and suggest the pathways to overcome the challenges.”

    Conclusion

    Embracing the RE will help India economically and strategically. It will also help it achieve its targets in its fight against climate change.

    Back2Basics: Central Electricity Authority

    • Central Electricity Authority (CEA) is an organization originally constituted under Section 3(1) of the repealed Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948, since substituted by Section 70 of the Electricity Act, 2003.
    • It was established as a part-time body in 1951 and made a full-time body in 1975.
    • The functions and duties of CEA are delineated under Section 73 of the Electricity Act, 2003

    Plant Load Factor (PLF)

    • Plant Load Factor (PLF) is the ratio of average power generated by the plant to the maximum power that could have been generated for a given time period.

    Original Op-ed

    https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/what-india-should-do-to-get-its-energy-transition-right/2016648/

  • Tillari Conservation Reserve

    The Maharashtra state forest department on declared 29.53 sq. km area of Dodamarg forest range in Sindhudurg district as ‘Tillari Conservation Reserve’.

    Note the differences between Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves. Their shuffled meanings can be asked directly in statements based MCQs.

    Tillari Conservation Reserve

    • This area is known to serve as a corridor and even as a habitat for the population of tigers and elephants moving between the three states of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
    • The 38-km-long Dodamarg wildlife corridor that connects Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary in Maharashtra to Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka frequently witnesses elephant and tiger movement.
    • Tillari will be the seventh corridor in the state to be declared as a ‘conservation reserve’.

    What are Conservation Reserves?

    • They denote protected areas which typically act as buffer zones to or connectors and migration corridors between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected forests.
    • Such areas are designated if they are uninhabited and completely owned by the Government of India but used for subsistence by communities if part of the lands is privately owned.
    • Administration of such reserves would be through local people and local agencies like the gram panchayat, as in the case of communal forests.

    What are Community Reserves?

    • They are the first instances of private land being accorded protection under the legislature.
    • It opens up the possibility of communally owned for-profit wildlife resorts, and also causes privately held areas under non-profit organizations like land trusts to be given protection.
    • These protected area categories were first introduced in the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002 − the amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
    • These categories were added because of reduced protection in and around existing or proposed protected areas due to private ownership of land, and land use.

  • Central Zoo Authority (CZA)

    The Environment Ministry has reconstituted the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to include an expert from the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, and a molecular biologist.

    Note following things about CZA:

    1)Its constitution under any Act

    2)Composition

    3)Roles and functions

    About CZA

    • The CZA is the body of the government responsible for oversight of zoos constituted under the section 38A of Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972.
    • The main objective of the authority is to complement the national effort in the conservation of wildlife.
    • Standards and norms for housing, upkeep, health care and overall management of animals in zoos have been laid down under the Recognition of Zoo Rules, 1992.

    Roles & Functions

    • The Authority’s role is more of a facilitator than a regulator.
    • It, therefore, provides technical and financial assistance to such zoos which have the potential to attain the desired standard in animal management.
    • Primary function– grant of recognition and release of financial assistance.
    • It also regulates the exchange of animals of endangered category Listed under Schedule-I and II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act among zoos.
    • Exchange of animals between Indian and foreign zoos is also approved by the Authority before the requisite clearances under EXIM Policy and the CITES permits are issued by the competent authority.
    • The Authority also coordinates and implements programmes on capacity building of zoo personnel, planned breeding programmes and ex-situ research including biotechnological intervention for the conservation of species for complementing in-situ conservation efforts in the country.

    Composition

    • Apart from the chairman, it consists of 10 members and a member-secretary.
    • Almost all of them are officials in the Environment Ministry and NGO experts are those who are wildlife conservationists or retired forest officers.